Billy Graham Center Archives

Papers of Randolph Lee Capp - Collection 439

[Note: What follows is a description of the documents in this collection which are available for use at BGC Archives in Wheaton, Illinois, USA. The actual documents are not, in most cases, available online, only this description of them. Nor are they available for sale or rent. Some or all of this collection can be borrowed through interlibrary loan. ]

Brief Description.
Audio tape of lunch seminar presented by Capp on obstacles to integrating Muslim converts into the church in Egypt (approximately 45 minutes.) First oral history interview by Paul Ericksen on 1/28/91 in which Capp discusses his conversion and decision to become a missionary, work as a graphic artist on a magazine for Arabic speaking young people in the Middle East with Middle East Media, work as an artist in the literature division of Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services, Egyptian and Arabic culture, and interpersonal conflict. In a second interview on 2/4/91 Capp discussed his evangelistic ministry through chalk drawings, the Egyptian church in Egypt, family life and raising children on the mission field, observations about the American church and readjustment to America during furlough, etc. The collection also includes two photographs of Capp's chalk drawings, a sample book cover he designed, summary reports on his chalk drawing meetings, and prayer letters (1991-1997). There are restrictions on the use of this collection.
Vol: 5 Reels Audio Tape, 3 folders

The collection consists primarily of audio recordings, most of which are two oral history
interviews. Also included are newsletters, photographs, and a brochure describing CEOSS
(Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services), which together describe or illustrate
Capp's ministry.

T1 - side 1 (40 minutes) Speaking during a lunchtime lecture, "The Barbed Wire Is On Our Side:
Incorporating Muslim Converts into the Local Church," Capp briefly describes an experience in
his chalk-drawing ministry in Egypt, and makes observations about the Egyptian church, the
Islamic environment in which the Egyptian church lives and barriers the Islamic culture erects
around the church, barriers which the church erects as protection, Coptic roots of Egyptian
Evangelicals, racial issues, barriers caused by adopting American Evangelical's methods and
attitudes, the Muslim convert's likely exclusion from marriage, the diminished potential for the
institutional church to facilitate evangelism and revival. Closed to researcher use without
donor permission until December 31, 2001.

Randy Capp was interviewed by Paul Ericksen on January 28 and February 4, 1991, at the
Archives of the Billy Graham Center. The time period covered by the interviews is 1953-1991.
The "side 1" and "side 2" of this description reflects a cassette copy and not the original, which is
on reels.

T2 (64 minutes). History and religious atmosphere of Zion, Illinois; liberal influence in the
church, experiences at Northern Illinois University (ignoring religion throughout college,
fraternity involvement), conversion through Inter-Varsity Bible study and Bill Gothard seminar,
returning to his fraternity as a Christian (leading a Bible study), work after college, Holy Spirit's
work in calling him in 1977 to work as a graphic designer for an Arabic magazine in Cairo being
started by John Ferwerda (while simultaneously beginning to date future wife Nancy), raising
support, Middle East Media and its magazine Huwa wa Hiya (translated His and Hers, known in
the US as Magalla), minimal application process and absence of orientation for Capp in joining
Middle East Media, first impressions of Egypt and living conditions there, difficult production
schedule left no time for language or culture study, leaving Egypt after four years because of
burnout and conflict with his supervisor, call to return to Egypt, conflict with his supervisor and
later resolution, graphic design in Arabic and using Egyptian critics to evaluate design, training an
Egyptian artist to replace him

T3 (45 minutes).Magalla magazine (readership, growth and development), Egyptian couple
which strengthened the team, doubts about his contribution but not his call during the conflict
with his supervisor, wife's role in ministry, decision to leave Egypt, invitation to reinvigorate
Christian Catholic Church's mission work in South Africa and struggle with future plans,
invitation to return to Egypt to work with Dar El-Thaqafa publishing house, preference for
working in national organization, history of the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social
Services (CEOSS), founding Dar El-Thaqafa (CEOSS's publishing division), conflicts and office
culture among Egyptians, promotion to position of Art Director as a foreigner and accompanying
adjustments, disagreements in leadership and dissolution of the staff, Randy's return home,
lessons learned, plans to work with Media Associates International, culturally sensitive departure
from CEOSS and Dar El-Thaqafa

T4 (59 minutes) This tape should be listened to in conjunction with the photographs (See
Location Record: Photographs). Chalk drawing as evangelistic method: Wheaton College art
professor Karl Steele's development of the method, Capp's use of it as a culturally-relevant
ministry in Egypt, making chalk and equipment, examples of method's effectiveness, plans to
continue it internationally, training an Egyptian replacement to take over the ministry, format of
the meeting, stories of presentations, method of preparation, humbling experiences, repertoire of
pictures, policy of never giving away a picture; future plans to travel and train (especially
Egyptian) graphic artists within their own culture through Media Associates International; family
life in Egypt (raising children, his son's health problem)

T5 (58 minutes). Schooling options and children's education in Cairo, goal for Christopher to
learn Arabic, children's struggles and perceptions moving between Egyptian and American
cultures, the Capps' struggles as a result of Randy's overworking, high value placed on family
time, discrimination against women (particularly as an American) in Egyptian culture, tensions in
their marriage and how they have addressed them, church participation and worship in Cairo,
comparison between Egyptian and American churches, strength (national leadership) and
weakness (predominance of American practices which contrast with indigenous forms) of Egypt's
Evangelical church, what American Evangelicals could learn from Muslims, a Muslim perspective
of Western church and Egyptian Evangelical church practices and differences between mosques
and Egyptian churches, church characteristics which appeal to Muslims and forms of effective
outreach to them, syncretism in the Egyptian church (imported Western thought forms,
superstitious elements in rural areas), desires for next term in Egypt, early prayer to be used by
God and how that has already been answered

Provenance

The materials for this collection were received by the Center in December 1990 and January and
February 1991 from Randolph Capp. The Capps' periodic newsletters were added to Accession
91-19 as they were received; subsequent newsletters were added to the collection.

T1R - Reel-to-reel, 3-3/4 ips, approximately 40 minutes. One side. Brown Bag lunch seminar
featuring Randolph Capp, entitled "The Barbed Wire Is On Our Side: Incorporating
Muslim Converts into the Local Church." [Recording begins with what sounds like an
audio or video recording; it is uncertain whether this was part of the session. Recording
also contains a slight trailing echo of previously spoken comments.] Recorded December
7, 1990, at the Billy Graham Center. Closed to researcher use without donor
permission until December 31, 2001.